My buddy is the biggest, strongest, and leanest guy that I know. Seen him bench 385 and deadlift over 600. About 6’ 210 and definitely under 10% bodyfat. He’s competes in track, mostly sprinting. Here’s the kicker, he’s a vegetarian too!!
This is how he says I should eat:
No more than 20-30 fat grams per day.
As many carbs as I want.
Good carbs before workout, bad carbs after.
At least 1g protein per lb of bodyweight.
He swears by this diet, what do yall think?
Thoughts that came to mind:
Different diets work for different people due to genetics/type of activity/etc.
Some function well at high carb, some at high fat and some with a balance.
What your friend is doing may be OK and he may be gifted genetically and the such… perhaps with a bit of tweaking (p+f in the evening perhaps? shrugs) it could be improved.
Why not give it a go however I would suggest raising fat a little higher due to there being a number of studies on its positive effect on hormone levels and the such.
Some coconut oil, fish oil, etc. wouldn’t go amiss if you can afford it.
EDIT: I would say without a doubt also that carb sources should be almost exclusively from veggies, fruits, whole grains (a small portion of the time), etc.
Also because you are not a veggie you can take advantage of massively anabolic food items such as beef!
Do the amount of sprinting and sprint training your buddy does PLUS additional weightlifting training and you can basically eat what you want especialy a shitload of carbs - assuming your schedule is a lil bit different from his I would reconsider this eating plan and adjust it according not only to your goals but to your resources (how much/long/often can you train? What type of training - etc.)
EDIT: orthography hates me - buts its mutal ^^
Would love to see a day’s diet that equates to 20g of fat…
A basic carb cycling diet (not CT’s) is usually restricted to ~50g of fat. There have been studies that suggest carbs are almost NEVER stored as fat in the body. De novo lipogenesis (process where glucose is converted and stored as adipose) typically takes 3+ consecutive days of eating 700 or more carbs. Carbs can lead to water retention and poor mirror image but the common misconception is they make you fat. Fat is the easiest thing stored as fat.
I agree with Peder, your buddy probably expends way more calories than the average weight lifter and is gifted with good genetics for strength and size. However, don’t be afraid of the carbs as they will provide you with ample fuel for workouts and growth.
Fat always seems to be the area most grey for bodybuilding and general health. You will get many different answers about the required daily amounts. It IS an essential macronutrient but how much is very subjective. Low fat doesn’t necessarily mean low T for everybody, as it’s very individual.
Are you concerned with your physique and want to make a dietary change? Play around with different strategies until you find out what works for you as nobody can tell you what/how to eat. It’s VERY individual.
He must have good genetics, This diet will not work for many people if you want to be lean and strong. First of all Fat plays a HUGE factor as far as hormonal response in the body goes. you NEED some saturated fats, mono, and poly in your diet. Remember that fats are ESSENTIAL Hense (Essential fatty acids). Carbs are not.
I’m not trying to say don’t eat carbs you should but this guy is feeding you crap. It may work for him but it wont work for everybody. I’m 6’1" and 210 close to his body weight and height and about 9% body fat and trust me if I followed his guidlines I’d be fat and weak. I will admit his lifts are impressive I can only bench 320 and deadlift 495, so in theory he is the better athlete.
But I know a thing or two about diet and weight lifting, I’ve got a BSc in Biochem and am in my 3rd year of med school. Saturated fats are Pro inflamatory which to most people sounds like a bad thing but in the muscle building game is GOLDEN. If you want to be big and lean. Eat lost of beef and eggs and other animal proteins and time your carbs around workout time and breakfast (unless you are a hardgainer…(I hate that word)…) and you will reach your goals. Oh and obviously don’t neglect your training. You want to be BIG? Then LIFT BIG.
[quote]elano wrote:
My buddy is the biggest, strongest, and leanest guy that I know. Seen him bench 385 and deadlift over 600. About 6’ 210 and definitely under 10% bodyfat. He’s competes in track, mostly sprinting. Here’s the kicker, he’s a vegetarian too[/quote]
Sounds like it’s working for him, so more power to the guy. But I doubt it would be similarly beneficial for most people.
[quote]As many carbs as I want.
Good carbs before workout, bad carbs after.[/quote]
This advice alone would have the majority of people adding more fat than muscle in no time.
Dr. Clay Hyght explained the pros and cons of different diet plans, including low fat diets, in How Bodybuilders Should Eat:
I’d take a look at that before you consider adopting a plan like your buddy is suggesting.
He eats normal foods, but makes sure that everything is low fat. Like low fat pizzas, low-fat tv dinners, low fat ice cream, etc.
I don’t understand how it could make you fat if you eat a reasonable amount of calories. For instance, instead of eating a ribeye steak worth 500 calories, 40g protein and 40 grams of fat, why not eat 40g protein from chicken breast and 100g of carbs from brown rice? The calories would still equal 500 so what is the difference?
Also, I don’t understand how eating 300 calories from whole grain carbs before bed is any worse than eating 300 calories of fats. Anyone wanna explain it?
It could be as simple as:
Carbs=glycogen storage or energy use
Fat = fat storage or energy use
But it isn’t and many factors are involved depending on the total calorie balance. I’m PM’ing you a link with a good article on it
Sounds like he works like an animal and has great genetics.
Carbs = Energy. It sounds like he needs/burns a ton of it.
Has he ever changed his diet around? I’m curious if he’s put on fat by adding more fat to his diet.
You get to eat “more” carbs than fats for your overall calorie count… does he know about where he is in terms of overall calories, and does low-fat more for the overall calorie count?
Honestly, he sounds like he busts his ass and has great genetics, more than that he’s figured out nutrition.
There are just as many “biggest, leanest, strongest” guys that are bigger than your friend, probably stronger too, and they swear by high fat low carb diets. What does this prove?
Nothing.
[quote]Aussie Davo wrote:
There are just as many “biggest, leanest, strongest” guys that are bigger than your friend, probably stronger too, and they swear by high fat low carb diets. What does this prove?
Nothing.[/quote]
Hey dork, that’s why I posted the question. I wasn’t trying to prove anything learn how to read. Him being those things gives the idea credibility.